The Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has described the contributions of business magnate, Sir Kessington Adebutu, to sports development as exemplary and admirable.
He made these remarks while speaking to journalists at the commissioning of the Sir Kessington Adebutu Ultra Modern Sports Centre at Maryland, Lagos State, on Sunday, the 13th October, 2019.
Mr. Dare said Nigeria needs the contributions of philanthropists like Sir Adebutu to ensure sports development is done optimally. He called on private companies, communities and institutions to follow the example of the man popularly called, “Baba Ijebu”.
“I’m excited and humbled to be here. I only got to know about this event about fou hours ago and I cancelled all my plans to be here and honour our own Sir Kessington Adebutu.”
“When it comes to sports development, government alone cannot do it. We need private individuals, communities, schools and organisations to do it. What Baba has done today is exemplary and admirable.”
“We thank him for this. It is also instructive that people in their elderly ages value sports as an important activity and it says a lot to our youth. Sports is important to our health and I’m glad to be here to commission this.”
The sports centre is valued at about N52 million and was wholly paid for by Sir Adebutu. The facility is open to members of the Association of Friends club members and associates.